Budget impasse delays scheduled ship repairs - Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

Budget impasse delays scheduled ship repairs

Operating without an approved budget, the Navy is shedding upcoming shipyard repairs and warning of looming cuts to new ship construction such as Virginia-class submarines and littoral combat ships. Since Congress hasn’t passed a budget for fiscal 2011, the Navy is operating under the previous year’s funding levels, which amounts to a $5.7 billion cut.

“We are in the process now, regrettably, with having to cancel some maintenance availabilities because I can't exceed the budget limits that have been placed on us because of the continuing resolution,” Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead said in a keynote speech Thursday to the American Society of Naval Engineers. “We have to get out from underneath this in order to make the Navy the flexible force the nation expects.”

Under the continuing resolution, short-changed Navy officials are forced to make budget decisions month-to-month. In a Feb. 5 message to Navy brass, Vice Adm. John Blake, the Navy’s top budget official, laid out steps for dealing with the Navy's expected drop of $4.6 billion in maintenance and operational funds. Blake wrote that Roughead concurred with canceling five ship availabilities planned for April and May, deferring 19 shore-side projects with February and March start dates, and terminating two availabilities that are underway. The message was posted on a maritime website.

The cutbacks included:

• Terminating in-progress shipyard repairs for coastal patrol crafts Squall and Thunderbolt for a savings of $11 million.

• Canceling ship availabilities for the dock landing ship Gunston Hall and frigate Underwood, planned for April.

• Canceling availabilities for the amphibious assault ship Peleliu, and destroyers Gonzalez and Farragut, which had been set for May repairs.

• Deferring 19 projects ashore, including building an ammo pier in Kadena, Japan, and renovating two bachelor enlisted quarters in Point Magu, Calif. These cuts would save $90 million.

The canceled availabilities will save an estimated $62 million.

Unless Congress gets through the budget impasse, more painful cuts will be in store for the Navy. Navy spokeswoman Lt. Courtney Hillson said that as many as 29 surface ship availabilities could be scrapped if a budget isn’t passed.